No easy answers for recent violence in Brockton

Thursday's daytime shooting in the city's Campello section, which injured a 22-year-old Brockton man, ended with two men facing attempted murder and gun charges, police said. Two others were charged with being an accessory after the fact. It is the latest incident in a string of gun violence in the city.

BROCKTON – Two days after four people were arrested in connection with a daytime shooting, city and community leaders continue to grapple with how to address the recent string of violence.

And early on Saturday, a 36-year-old man was run down by an SUV and killed on Nilsson Street. Police are investigating his death as a murder.

While stronger policing efforts have tamped down crime on some level, Mark T. Oliver, pastor of the Trinity Baptist Church, said that the issue requires a more holistic approach.

“There are so many fronts to deal with it. It’s a complex issue,” said Oliver, whose church is located less than a mile from where the shooting occurred at 907 Main St. “Every institution has to pitch in and make it a focus when dealing with community safety.”

Thursday’s daytime shooting in the city’s Campello section, which injured a 22-year-old Brockton man, ended with two men facing attempted murder and gun charges, police said. Two others were charged with being an accessory after the fact. It is the latest incident in a string of gun violence in the city.

City officials expressed their concern over the recent violence and proposed solutions.

“These scum are doing this and they don’t care about themselves or anyone. That’s what we’re stuck with,” said Ward 2 City Councilor Thomas Monahan.

“I don’t like that this is happening in my city. No one does,” added Ward 5 City Councilor Dennis DeNapoli.

Paul Studenski, the Ward 4 city councilor and former Brockton police chief, said residents can play a part in fighting crime by joining organizations such as Crime Watch.

Ward 7 City Councilor Shirley Asack agreed that community members play a crucial role in not only reporting crime, but also by getting involved.

Building a stronger economy by creating more jobs and other economic opportunities can help lower the crime rate, said City Councilor-at-large Jass Stewart.

“If we bring in more businesses and middle-class families, you begin to squeeze out the people who are creating the problem,” Stewart said.

“We don’t want to gentrify the entire city, but we want to bring a better balance to the city and make sure we’re attracting responsible individuals to the city of Brockton.”

City Councilor-at-Large Shaynah Barnes added that tighter laws and effective reform programs for incarcerated people could also help stymie the cycle of violence.

More than 200 residents attending an anti-violence forum recently presented ideas to deal with crime, said City Councilor-at-Large Moises Rodrigues, who hosted the event.

Ideas included eliminating barriers that encourage feuds and creating prevention programs that steer young people away from a life of crime.

Page 2 of 3 - Officials also plan to lobby state legislators to increase the mandatory sentence for those with unlicensed guns from one year to five, he said.

“This would put a fear in these individuals and make them think twice about carrying a weapon,” he said.

“These kids aren’t born violent,” he said. “They’re picking this stuff up through their neighborhoods or their families. We can work with them and their families.”

Persistent violence can take an emotional toll on a community, said Mitch Librett, an associate professor of criminal justice at Bridgewater State University and former police officer. As more violence occurs, it can lead to a desensitization, which can lead to more crime, he said.

“There’s nothing good about it. It makes people feel unsafe and puts pressure on the police to do something immediately when it may be difficult for them to do,” he said.

Brockton Police Chief Robert Hayden said that quick and effective police work will help in dissuading criminals and he praised the swift response by police in Thursday’s shooting.

“They’re going to be dissuaded from engaging in criminal behavior if they read in the paper the next day that these people have been arrested,” he said of suspected criminals.

Marked and unmarked police units fanned out into the area as the shooting call came in about 5 p.m., at the height of rush-hour traffic on Thursday, said police spokesman Lt. Paul Bonanca.

Police found one 9 mm shell casing at the scene and received information that the suspects fled in a 2014 white Dodger Charger.

Police broadcast the car’s plate number to all cruisers, surrounding towns and the state police, Bonanca said. About a half hour later, state police spotted the suspect’s vehicle on Route 106, then heading north on Route 24.

The vehicle was stopped by multiple state and Brockton police cruisers as it left the highway at Pearl and Belmont streets.

A Brockton police dog located a 9 mm Smith and Wesson handgun, which they believe was used in the shooting, about a half-mile away from the shooting, behind a house at 11 Second St., Bonanca said. The victim, who was shot once in the forearm, was taken to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries and is expected to make a full recovery, police said.

Mannix Lewis, 22, of Norwood and Alvaro Andrade, 24 of Taunton both face attempted murder and gun charges in the shooting. Meanwhile, Stephanie Resende, 21, of 766 Montello St., Apt. 1, Brockton, and Diego Pires, 21, of 5 Madrid Square, Apt. 7, Brockton, were charged with being an accessory after the fact.

Police reported no motive.

Councilors Michelle DuBois of Ward 6, Timothy Cruise of Ward 1, Dennis Eaniri of Ward 3, and Councilor-at-large Robert Sullivan could not be reached for comment. Crime Watch Coordinator Bill Healy also was not available.

Page 3 of 3 - Dafney Tales may be reached at dtales@enterprisenews.com.